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WorksheetsKeystone Species and Trophic Cascades
Total questions: 14
Worksheet time: 7mins
MULTIPLE CORRECT: Which of the following are true about a keystone species?
Is the GLUE that holds an ecosystem together.
If it is removed, it will impact the structure and biodiversity of a habitat/ecostyem.
It has NO impact on other organisms in an ecosystem.
There is only 1 keystone species in every ecosystem.
A side-effect when a certain species that usually helps to keep the entire ecosystem balanced is reduced or removed. When their numbers are changed there is an ecological imbalance.
trophic level
trophic cascade
food web
food chain
Each step or level in a food chain or food web.
trophic level
trophic cascade
food web
food chain
One of the defining characteristics of a (a) species is that it fills a critical (b) role that no other (c) can. Without them, the entire (d) would radically change-or cease to (e) altogether.
Sea otters are key to protecting coastal kelp forests but consuming sea urchins. Sea otters are which type of keystone species?
predator
prey
plant
ecosystem engineer
Starfish on shorelines will control mussels from overcrowding algae, limpets, anemones, and sponges by eating them. This helps maintain the biodiversity of the shore.
predator
prey
plant
ecosystem engineer
Keystone species are a (a) because they help to control (b) .
Choose all organisms associated with this trophic cascade.
in 1995 Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Which answer below most accurately describes a possible trophic cascade the could result from the reintroduction of wolves?
wolves reintroduced-> deer population increased -> tree and vegetation cover decreased
wolves reintroduced-> beaver population decreased -> tree and vegetation cover increased
wolves reintroduced-> deer population decreased -> tree and vegetation cover increased -> beaver population increased
wolves reintroduced-> deer population decreased -> beaver population decreased -> songbird population increased
A species that helps to manage prey populations, which in turn controls the ecosystem's producers (vegetation).
predator
keystone
engineer
mutualist
Any non-living factor that can limit a population size. Example: Space, Water, Fire
Abiotic Limiting Factor
Biotic Limiting Factor
Keystone Species
Consumer
On the rock shoreline, how was biodiversity affected by the removal of starfish?
it became a 'monoculture' of one species
more species moved in
it increased the competition
the land was less beautiful
What happens when you remove sea otters from the ecosystem?
Kelp forests disappears
There are more fish
Coral reefs die
Estuary ecosystems change
